1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an abnormality detection support device which is suitable for a case where rescue operations or the like are made under situations that visibility is disturbed by smoke or the like due to fire.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a kind of an abnormality detection support device includes a helmet, an infrared camera, a display, and a radio transmitter as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 5-75892 (Oct. 15, 1993). The infrared camera is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the helmet. The display is attached to the helmet so that an image screen comes to the front of a head of a user wearing the helmet, and reproduces an image taken by the infrared camera. The radio transmitter is attached to the helmet and radio-transmits an image signal of the infrared camera to a radio receiver provided in a remote location.
When the abnormality detection support device is used, a field operator wearing the helmet directly watches an infrared image and simultaneously can work with both hands available under a situation that smoke or the like due to fire disturbs the field of vision of the operator. Further, when the image taken with infrared is radio-transmitted to the radio receiver provided in a place separated from the field, more precise monitoring, diagnosis of the circumstances and the like can be made.
The abnormality detection support device, however, has the following problems (1) to (3):
(1) since the infrared camera is fixed so as to project laterally from the outer peripheral surface of the helmet, when the operator passes through a narrow place, the infrared camera is in danger of bumping against obstacles and being damaged;
(2) since the infrared camera is set in a position which is fairly higher than positions of the ears on temporal region of the user, there are so much of differences between an actual image the user sees with the naked eye and an image on the display taken by the infrared camera; and
(3) since the infrared camera is fixed so as to project laterally from the outer peripheral surface of the helmet, the left and the right sides of the helmet is not well balanced in weight, and thus the user's neck is strained.
That is to say, this abnormality detection support device has unsatisfactory usability as explained in (1) to (3).
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an abnormality detection support device which enables an operator to work with both hands available while directly watching an infrared image even under a circumstance that smoke or the like due to occurrence of fire disturbs the field of vision of the operator, and has excellent usability.